Little by little

The month of April is dedicated to a condition many of us are all too familiar with stress. “Stress can be defined as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation,” according to the World Health Organization. It is no secret that today’s society experiences high levels of stress; we live in a world where things are fast-paced – we send messages across the globe in seconds, we receive news almost as it happens, and we are far too busy to wait for the little green man to appear before we decide to walk across the road. We talk while we walk, we walk while we eat and eat while we talk. Along with other factors like recovering from a worldwide pandemic, war and conflict in different parts of the globe and the cost-of-living crisis, it is no wonder that one in 14 UK adults feel stressed every single day – a statistic revealed by Champion Health in their Stress Statistics UK: 2023 report.

The Month’s aims

A main prerogative of the campaign is to raise awareness for stress and its impact on mental wellbeing and health. Stress is an issue which, often, literally worsens the less one talks about it or feels they don’t have the space and ability to talk about it. This is where pharmacies can play a crucial role. Through signage like posters and pamphlets, pharmacies are able to let customers know that they are in a safe space where they can reach out for advice, but also to remind people to be aware of their stress levels and of those around them. It is important that in all environments – work, family, at home, in friendships – the possibility of stress is spoken about, and people are made to feel that they have the ability to deal with it. Stress can be dealt with in many different ways, and there are tools people can learn to try to cope with their stress themselves.

This year’s theme of Stress Awareness Month, #LittleByLittle, A Little Becomes A Lot, aims to encourage people to make adjustments to their daily routines that they will be able to maintain in the long-term. The 30 Day Challenge invites people to commit to a change for every day of April and see how they feel at the end of the month. “What are the small, micro-actions you can change today that may adjust your trajectory over time and make all the difference? What is the one thing you can commit to, whether that be spending five minutes journaling, observing your breath or going without technology for a period of time each day? One commitment can lead to other positive changes. Little positive actions lead to other positive actions,” says Neil Shah, founder and director of The Stress Management Society, who run Stress Awareness Month.

The Stress Management Society elaborate on this perspective, using a ‘house analogy’: “Think of it like building a house – laying down a single brick may not seem significant. You might start small e.g., taking deep breaths during a stressful moment, or writing down one thing you’re grateful for each day. These actions may seem small, but they serve as the foundation of your mental wellbeing. Each brick represents a conscious choice to prioritise and build your mental health and resilience. They all add strength and stability, making you more resilient to the challenges that life brings.”

Support from the pharmacy

Neil notes that “those who work in a pharmacy setting have a really powerful opportunity to engage with people” and that time spent talking to someone can be all it takes for them to change their habits. Pharmacy teams can encourage people to look to take charge of their own wellbeing with support and advice.

The Stress Management Society website has free downloadable resources for pharmacy teams to learn more about the campaign and share with pharmacy customers and patients, including:
● An individual stress test
● A free stress guide
● Advice on how to adopt a positive mindset and eat for wellbeing. Find out more at stress.org.uk.